


Not the Lonely One

by krisherdown



Series: The Unholy trilogy [1]
Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-07
Updated: 2008-05-07
Packaged: 2017-11-27 17:22:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/664518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krisherdown/pseuds/krisherdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marat is irresistible and can have anyone. So… why?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not the Lonely One

**Author's Note:**

> This was posted for tennisslash's 7 Deadly Sins Challenge (sin chosen was Envy, and it barely covers that). Odd? Yup, even by the standards of the challenge, in which it had to be an unusual pairing.

_I was in a daze, movin' in the wrong direction  
Feelin' that I'd always be the lonely one  
Then I saw your face, on the edge of my horizon  
Whisperin' that I wasn't the only one  
The lonely one_  
Bonnie Raitt - "Not the Only One"  
  
  
There is always that one person. The one who brings illicit thoughts to everyone he meets. Why one person has it (or It, to be honest that needs to be capitalized) and someone else does not is a mystery. Marat is that person on the tour with It.  
  
He's a major champ but it's not like he's the only one. Roger has a bunch of those. Everyone admires Roger. Everyone wishes they were Roger. So although Roger gets a good deal of action, it's more from the mystique of being a great of the game. So if Roger has It, it's more by default because Roger has everything else.  
  
He's got the humor but it's not like he's the only one. Novak has the impersonations on the web as proof that. Teenage girls fall head over heels for that youthful energy. Some guys get Novak's humor and buddy up. But sex? Not wanting that picture.  
  
He's got the emotional outbursts on the court but it's not like he's the only one. Andy Roddick just exhibited that in losing today. However, Andy saves the charm for the press and the ladies in the club. It _is_ cute when Andy downgrades himself when talking about Roger or Nadal but they're the only ones who see that version of Andy. "Lesser" players (which, ranking aside, qualified before today) aren't worthy of the emotion.  
  
He's got that off-kilter way of viewing the world but it's not like he's the only one. Novak's buddy Janko fits that part. Although Janko's view is more along the lines of the worldly college student. Janko will be talking about something that nobody else in the room has a clue about but the passion comes through in the words. So while Janko attracts attention, it's more because the person doesn't know the philosopher Janko's talking about.  
  
He's got looks that grace magazine covers but it's not like he's the only one. Richie has the ladies swoon and being French doesn't hurt either. But in this world, Richie needs to reach expectation. Otherwise, only a pretty guy who hasn't really experienced the highs of the tour yet.  
  
He's been at the top and fallen low but it's not like he's the only one. He lost to a qualifier this week - a journeyman qualifier at that - but he holds on to the hope that one day his career will have a revival that rivals Goran's Wimbledon run of years ago. Goran was also the last one to hold that kind of power over everyone he met.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The question really is, why _you_? He can attract anyone on the tour but it's you that keeps him in Florida, days after his run in the tournament is over.  
  
You're more used to being passed over. You fade into the background most of the time. Fans have trouble even figuring out that you're an elite player as you look like a regular, unassuming guy. There are days you're happy about that. Other days you'd yearn to run away from the press because they're dying to ask you the burning questions - you've seen Nadal do it and it's exciting.  
  
You stopped wishing that one when the gambling mess started. Then the later accusations of not trying that started last year. You're now painted as the Evil One in the press. Even a few players got in on that act at first but those noises have faded away in time as the case gets murkier, although it still hounds you.  
  
Then again, the "not trying" accusation was what led you to him in the first place. When he heard about the fine, he texted you to ask if you were okay. That night you called him and let out the frustrations that had been building throughout the year. How you'd gotten twisted around in the air as a case was being made about gambling in tennis. How you were physically and emotionally fatigued and just wishing for the season to be over. How of course you try when you're on the court but your body just doesn't do what the mind tells you after awhile.  
  
His year hadn't been much better. Or as he put it, "You know the year sucks when the best thing to happen was climbing a mountain." Then he throws in, "You should join me next time."  
  
You laugh off the offer at the time but he doesn't let up. The texts kept coming from him. It isn't until the Davis Cup final that you finally saw him. He's only there as an assist this time. Even so, fiddling around with his game while muttering to himself the entire time was enough to get the team to watch. When he finally stopped berating himself, you told him that he wouldn't be able to handle it if you really did take the offer.  
  
You knew you sounded totally unlike yourself but it _did_ work on him. The smile he gave was one you'd never seriously thought would be given to you. He went back to work on his game. The other players gave you this _look_ , not sure if they really saw what just happened. You _knew_ that Dima was sending laser looks your way the remainder of the day, as he'd been trying to get that smile for years.  
  
That night, you're startled when he came up behind you in the hallway. He whispered in your ear, "Do you want to climb the mountain?" You laughed because there was nervous energy, not helped when he wrapped his arms around you.  
  
You were surprised _not_ to smell any liquor on his breath so you wondered if he was on painkillers. You _knew_ there was no bet involved because Dima would have been unable to contain his rage at the closeness.  
  
You couldn't resist asking, "Why are you here?"  
  
You meant "here" as in "this hallway" but he answered, "I needed to see you so I rearranged my vacation."  
  
"Why?" You tried not to add "me" to the question because that would have sounded pathetic.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Even now, in Florida, the night before a big final, you can't help but ask these questions. He doesn't sound annoyed, even if you two seem to start the nights the same every time this happens. He assures you that he knows exactly who he's with, that he's not looking in any other direction when you're there. He tells you to enjoy the ride and stop questioning why life is the way it is.  
  
You're not sure why but as far as Marat is concerned, you _are_ the only one.


End file.
